The Sprout: CP Rail posts 12 per cent revenue slump in second quarter

Good afternoon and welcome to The Sprout, where your host is Calgary bound for this week’s Federal Provincial Agriculture Ministers Meeting, which begins this evening. See you soon, Cowtown!

Now, here’s today’s agriculture news.

The Lead:

The revenues of Canada’s second largest railway have dropped 12 per cent thanks to lower shipping volumes and the recent Alberta wildfires. As The Wall Street Journal reports, Canadian Pacific Railway saw a 12 percent decline in its revenues in the second quarter, a slump in line with an earlier warning issued by the company.

The company, which is a major grain mover across the Prairies, said Wednesday its revenue fell to 1.45 billion Canadian dollars ($1.11 billion) from C$1.65 billion a year earlier.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he won’t rule out imposing a federal carbon price on the provinces. On the eve of a premiers’ conference in Whitehorse, Trudeau told CBC news putting a price on carbon is an “essential” piece to the Liberals’ climate change plan.

The Canadian Dairy Commission’s decision to increase the price of industrial milk by 2.76 per cent has irked food producers and restaurants. The price increase, which affects cheese, ice cream, butter, and yogurt, takes effect September 1. The Globe and Mail has the story.

The Alberta Beef Producers and the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association are at an impasse over a proposal to make the provincial checkoff non-refundable. As the Canadian Cattlemen reports, the impasse means the controversial decision is now in the hands of the provincial government.

Despite Albertans clear love for beer, a new report from Beer Canada has found local brewery growth in the province is slow compared to the rest of the country. However, as Metro News reports, some within the craft industry say that’s about to change.

A train transporting grain derailed in Metro Vancouver, Tuesday. No one was injured and officials say the rail cars were empty at the time. Vittera is investigating.The Canadian Press has the details.

Internationally:

Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump is going after the Amish vote, despite the fact the community typically doesn’t vote. As Fox43 reports, an ad in a newspaper widely read by Amish people in Lancaster County lists him as a businessman with a strong work ethic, who operates family-run businesses.

Wale’s chief veterinarian says Cattle Tuberculosis remans the single biggest problem facing this generation of ranchers. In an interview with the BBC, Professor Christianne Glossop, who has held the post for 11 years, defended the Welsh government’s efforts on the file. Her comments come as farmers continue to push for a badger cull.

Lettuce just say it was a messy cleanup on Toronto’s DVP Tuesday, after a transport truck carrying salad dressing and mayonnaise flipped over. It took officials 12 hours to clean up the mess, which caused traffic mayo-hem. Charges have been laid against the driver.